How to Get Around Vietnam: Flights, Trains, Buses and Grab

Knowing how to get around Vietnam comes down to distance: fly the long north-south legs, take a train or sleeper bus for shorter or scenic ones, and use Grab inside cities. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog compares each option, covers city transport and ferries to the islands, and lists what to carry on domestic trips.

Vietnam is about 1,650 km long, so getting around Vietnam usually mixes two or three types of transport. Plan the route before you apply for a visa; if you need one, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online with your entry and exit airports.

How to get around Vietnam by distance

The right transport depends mainly on how far you are going and how much time you have. As a rule, fly anything over about 600 km, and take the train or bus for shorter hops.

Trip	Best option	Why
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City	Flight, about 2 hours	The train takes over 30 hours
Hanoi to Da Nang or Hue	Flight or overnight train	Train saves a hotel night
Hue to Hoi An	Car over the Hai Van Pass	Scenic, about 3 hours
Hanoi to Ninh Binh, Ha Long or Sapa	Limousine van, bus or train	Short or mountain routes
Within a city	Grab, taxi, walking	Fixed fares, door to door

Our two-week itinerary shows how these legs fit together on a typical trip.

Domestic flights in Vietnam

Domestic flights in Vietnam are frequent and often cheap, run by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways between the main cities and islands. Book two to three weeks ahead for the best fares.

Low-cost tickets include only hand luggage, so add checked bags when you book. Delays are common, especially on budget carriers, so avoid tight same-day connections to international flights. Domestic flights sell out around Tet and Vietnamese public holidays.

Trains

The Reunification Express line runs from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City along the coast, with stops in Hue, Da Nang and Nha Trang. Trains are slower than flying but comfortable, with soft seats and four-berth sleeper cabins.

The Hanoi to Hue and Hue to Da Nang sections are the most scenic, the second passing the Hai Van Pass by the sea. Tickets are sold at stations and on Vietnam Railways' website, as well as through booking agents. Our train travel guide covers classes and booking in detail.

Sleeper buses and limousine vans

A sleeper bus in Vietnam has two levels of reclining berths and runs day and night between cities and tourist towns. Limousine vans are smaller, with nine to 12 wide seats, and faster on short routes.

Both are cheap and go where trains do not, such as Sapa, Ha Giang and Dalat. Berths are short for tall travelers, and night driving can be fast. Keep valuables with you, not in the luggage hold, and lock your bag while you sleep. Open Tour buses let you hop on and off between major towns.

Getting around cities

In cities, ride-hailing apps are the easiest option, buses are the cheapest, and walking is best in old centers. Here is how each works.

Grab and ride-hailing

Grab in Vietnam offers motorbike taxis, cars and food delivery at fixed upfront prices, with Be and Xanh SM as local alternatives. Pay by card or cash.

Check the plate number before you get in, and wear the helmet the driver gives you on a motorbike ride. For late airport arrivals, a pre-booked airport transfer avoids waiting for a ride.

City buses

City buses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are very cheap and cover most areas, but signs are in Vietnamese and routes can be confusing. Use Google Maps or a bus app to plan the trip, have small notes ready, and expect crowds at rush hour.

Walking and crossing the street

Walking in Vietnam is the best way to see old centers like Hanoi's Old Quarter and Hoi An, but pavements are often blocked by parked motorbikes and food stalls. To cross the road, walk at a slow, steady pace without stopping or running, so riders can steer around you.

Ferries to the islands

Ferries and speedboats link the mainland to several islands. Boats run from Rach Gia and Ha Tien to Phu Quoc, from Hai Phong to Cat Ba, from Van Don to Co To, and from Vung Tau and the Mekong Delta to Con Dao.

Sailings stop in rough weather, especially during storms, so keep a spare day when an island is near the end of your trip. Two practical points apply to every domestic journey: documents and the Tet holiday.

Before you travel between cities

Two things catch travelers out on domestic trips: forgetting their passport and traveling during Tet. Both are easy to plan for.

Documents for domestic trips

Carry your passport for every domestic flight: airlines check it at check-in and boarding, and a photocopy is not enough. Hotels and homestays also ask for it to register you with the police. Keep a printed copy of your visa with you.

Traveling around Tet

During Tet, the Lunar New Year holiday, flights, trains and buses sell out weeks ahead and prices rise. Book early or plan to stay put for the first days of the new year. Our guide to traveling in Vietnam during Tet explains what to expect.

VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website, and you can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25. If you would like your entry and exit points checked against your route, start your application with us.